Mechanochemical synthesis of magnetically responsive materials from non-magnetic precursors

• Mechanochemical synthesis of magnetic composites from non-magnetic powdered materials.
• Magnetically responsive materials used as adsorbents for xenobiotics removal.
• Magnetic materials enabled efficient enzyme immobilization.

Mechanochemical synthesis of various types of magnetically responsive materials from non-magnetic powdered precursors has been developed. The preparation is based on the mechanochemical conversion of ferrous and ferric ions at the presence of alkaline hydroxide into magnetic iron oxides nanoparticles (maghemite identified by XRD measurements). The presence of powdered nonmagnetic materials during the mechanochemical process led to the efficient deposition of magnetic nanoparticles on the surface of the treated materials in the form of individual nanoparticles and their aggregates. The prepared magnetically responsive materials have been used as adsorbents for xenobiotics removal and as a carrier for enzymes immobilization.